ancillary — providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈænsəˌleri/
Example Sentences
- The airline makes more money from ancillary fees like baggage charges than from actual ticket sales.
- My job title says 'manager,' but I'm basically ancillary to the coffee machine - people only need me when it breaks down.
- The research team hired ancillary workers to help with data collection and analysis.
ancillary
ADJECTIVE[/ˈænsəˌleri/]
providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system
Ancillary staff handle the paperwork while the lead surgeon focuses on the operation.
Ancillary roles are truly necessary, not just subsidiary
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'ancilla' meaning 'maidservant' or 'female servant', combined with the suffix '-ary' meaning 'relating to' or 'characterized by'. The term evolved to describe supporting or subordinate roles.
Breakdown
ancill- (Latin ancilla, servant) + -ary (relating to, of the nature of) = ancillary (supporting or subordinate in nature)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The airline makes more money from ancillary fees like baggage charges than from actual ticket sales.”
“My job title says 'manager,' but I'm basically ancillary to the coffee machine - people only need me when it breaks down.”
“The research team hired ancillary workers to help with data collection and analysis.”
“Netflix's DVD service became ancillary to their streaming business, like a horse-drawn carriage service next to a Tesla dealership.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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